Campusers Turn Reality TV Stars, and Parents Are the Audience
Gone are the days when you could leave home, wave to the neighbors, and say, “I am off to campus,” and that was that until you returned for recess and shared stories.
People respected your mysterious new adult life. No one expected updates. You disappeared into independence like a hero in a coming-of-age film.
In my time, my father simply opened a bank account in my name, deposited my tuition into it, and handed me full withdrawal rights.
That was his way of saying, “You are grown. You succeed if you want to, you waste away if you want to.”
There was no chasing you around with reminders. No Google Classroom notifications. Just you, your choices, and the consequences that would humble you.
With my first five hundred thousand in pocket money, I furnished my room with unnecessary clutter, celebrated my freedom in the bar a few times, and lived like I had just won the lottery.
By the end of the first week, my wallet was a barren wasteland. I could not explain how I had left home fully equipped for campus life, yet ended up completely broke before I had even learned my way to the faculty.
But at least I had privacy. There was no risk of my questionable dance moves making their way to my parents’ timelines.
Back then, Snapchat and Instagram were patient. You enjoyed life first, reviewed the photos later, and only posted what made you look like you had your act together.
Fast forward to today. I live with a university student, and I feel like I am attending their entire orientation without ever setting foot on campus.
People are posting live updates of everything: awkward hugs, suspiciously suggestive hand-holding, high school sweethearts reunited like they are in a romance drama set in Paris, couples spread-eagled out on campus lawns like it is a private garden in Santorini.
Privacy is out the window. Parents are now watching their “little angels” mature in real time, sometimes in ways that make even open-minded people clutch their pearls.
We cannot call it an invasion of privacy, because the subjects are willingly streaming their lives.
What parents are actually watching is a free, unedited reality show titled The University Years: Things We Did Not Want to Know.
This is not for the faint-hearted. If you thought heartbreak was bad, wait until you see your child’s “first real love” post morph into a “situationship” thread right before your eyes.
Parents, it is time to upgrade the talk. Forget the old “stay away from boys” lecture.
Now it is, “Let us discuss the dark side of social media and why strangers in the comments section are not your friends.”
Warn them about the so-called “private accounts” that are not private at all, and the “easy money” schemes that lead to content they will regret.
As for the ones running around with phones capturing everything, a word to you. Filming fellow students without consent can land you in serious legal trouble.
My father once told me that once you are above eighteen, conflicts end in police and court.
So, if you are out here acting as the unofficial campus paparazzi, consider this your friendly reminder.
Campus used to be a private adventure. Now it is a public documentary with free streaming.
The least you can do is make sure the episodes do not get anyone arrested or denied their next tuition payment.
